Document release marred by judge's griping

June 13, 2009 12:14 am

— In the end, Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage acted appropriately by releasing three years worth of credit card statements requested by county Commissioner Vinny Clausi.
Sacavage hardly earned any Right-to-Know gold star, though, because the court's response was marred by foot-dragging and griping by the judge.
Clausi formally requested the bills three weeks ago. Court officials knew weeks earlier that the commissioner was seeking the documents. So why did it take until Friday for the documents to be released?
The judge characterized Clausi's request for the information as "a fishing expedition" and even as he turned over the records, Sacavage complained that court and probation officials had to spend considerable time compiling the information. Court officials may want to consider developing a system for storing records that will make it easier to cough up information when it is sought.
Clausi has maintained all along that he is not singling out the court system by requesting the records. Rather, the commissioner has made it a point to go over every departmental budget with a fine-tooth comb. The practice might border on micromanagement, but taxpayers might welcome the commissioner's close scrutiny of spending.
All along, county officials have known that the spending from the accounts jumped from $10,000 in 2006 to more than $33,000 in 2007 before falling to less than $4,000 in 2008. The increase in 2007 was tied to the preparations made by the probation department in anticipation of the launch of a drug court program. The explanation seems to hold water, considering that much of the activity reflected in the credit card bills seems tied to trips made by court officials attending training seminars.
The spending records show the trips included time for a $237 dinner at the restaurant atop the Space Needle in Seattle, as well as visits to eateries in Ocean City, Md.
Court officials ought to be prepared to defend such spending. If the trips are worth the cost, what's the problem?
The merits or motives of Clausi's request seem irrelevant. Court expense records ought to be available to any individual, elected or otherwise, who wants to know how an arm of the government is spending public money.